Four Haryana Police personnel posted in Faridabad and a civilian have been booked for allegedly apprehending a wanted criminal from a neighbouring state and releasing him for money.

Four Haryana Police personnel posted in Faridabad and a civilian have been booked for allegedly apprehending a wanted criminal from a neighbouring state and releasing him for money.

A case under different sections of the Indian Panel Code and Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the four personnel posted in the Crime Investigating Agency (CIA) of Haryana Police in Faridabad Sector 31.

The four have been suspended, Joint Commissioner of Police, Faridabad, Anil Kumar Rao said.

The officer also added the four CIA personnel had picked up a hardened criminal belonging to another state and released him after he paid them a huge sum of money through a civilian of Hodal area in Palwal district, he said.

The accused cops are Dalbir and Sunil, both head constables, and Subhash Chand and Kuldeep, both constables. The civilian’s name is Sewak.

Departmental proceedings have also been initiated against the officials. Rao said. “I can tell you the wanted criminal is from another state, not Haryana,” he added. Investigating officials have also refused to divulge the amount of bride paid to the policemen by the criminal to secure his release.

Meanwhile Assistant Commissioner of Police (Central), Kuldeep Singh, who has been asked to investigate the matter, said: “Till now we have no idea who the wanted criminal was and where did he hail from.”